What leads to Home
by Sliverloc303
Summary: The 5 times that Zoe realised that Bluebell was home and the 5 times Wade realised that Bluebell wasn't home with her.
1. Chapter 1

**What leads to Home.**

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**1.**

She manages to get a beautiful apartment in Manhattan with two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a spacious living room. Zoe knew she was incredibly lucky to get it and took a moment after her furniture had been delivered, to stand in the living room, reviling in her success.

She was back in New York, she had the fellowship and she was well on her way to getting the life she wanted before she even knew a town called Bluebell even existed. With her hands on her hips and a wide smile on her face, Zoe looked out of her window at the city skyline as the sun shone in the sky.

But, the smile slipped slightly after a few moments, when nagging thoughts entered her brain.

It was small. The apartment was small.

Not by New York standards but by Bluebell standards.

Just a week ago, she a large, two storey house, with a porch and a lake, for crying out loud! Now she just had this apartment with no water features. She was actually missing that rickety old house, even if it was falling down around her.

She sits down on her plastic covered couch in defeat and catches sight of her wooden bookcase. Wade had made it himself for her birthday and the wood had intricate designs set into it. It had suited her house in the small town perfectly but in New York, it looked out of place.

Yet she loved it and there was nothing else like it in the world...just like Bluebell.

Zoe shook her head and quickly started to unpack, trying to take her mind off the town and its people.

**-Bluebell-**

Wade stopped his car right outside his house, shutting down the engine and climbing out. Slamming the door shut behind him, he caught sight of Lavon standing outside Zoe's house...Zoe's old house. Wade sighed, a familiar pang hitting his chest and he quickly made his way to the mayor.

"Hey Lavon," he said, causing the other man to turn to him, "What are ya standing out here for?"

Lavon cleared his throat and replied, "Well I was thinking of doing something with the house, maybe redecorating it or something."

"Why?" Wade said, "Its fine the way the Doc had it."

Lavon sighed and replied after a pause, "But she's not coming back, is she? And this house is just a reminder of that."

Wade clenched his jaw and Lavon said, "You need to accept that just like everyone else in this town. Trust me, even I haven't exactly accepted it either."

Wade chuckled and replied, "Can you believe she actually got everyone in this town to like her? I swear, the day she left, I saw at least half the town crying their eyes out."

Lavon grinned and nodded. "Ya, I think Zoe surprised all of us. It's because she finally let herself be part of the community. Do you remember when she organised that huge barbecue to raise money for the Carlson family when they were getting kicked out of their house?"

Wade did remember. Despite the rocky start, Zoe had become part of Bluebell, a pillar of the community like Brick or George. And now she was gone, on the other side of the country.

"But you know young Rose sneaks out here now and again, just to sit on the porch," Lavon said.

Wade turned to the lake, watching the setting sunlight dance across the water. "I see her sometimes. Doc was the first person Rose ever really talked to about her problems...and now she's back in New York."

Lavon nodded and asked, "True. But now that I think about it, you wouldn't happen to know how that Fredrick Dean kid got his hair shaved off right after he cheated on Rose, would you?"

Wade swallowed a grin and just shrugged. Lavon nodded at his unconvincing act and replied, "Well, I suppose Zoe wasn't much help when he got that rash on that bald head of his, either. Lavon Hayes may not be a doctor but he knows that the best medicine isn't usually making remarks about cheating basters getting their dues."

Wade, remembering the events clearly, nodded again. Lavon sighed and, after turning towards the house again, he said, "How can a place that's felt normal without her before, feel so empty after she left?"

Wade didn't trust himself to answer. The hole that Zoe had left in Bluebell could be felt everywhere; in the empty house, in the bare doctor's office, in the spare seat in Lavon's kitchen at breakfast.

He just wanted to drown his sorrows in beer and guitar chords, and forgot all about big eyes, tiny shorts and a smile that was totally infectious.


	2. Chapter 2

**What leads to Home.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**OK, I know that it's kind of sad but keep with me here, it will get better.**

**2.**

There was a heat wave hitting New York and the citizens were doing their best to keep cool as the sun beat down on the city. Air-conditioners were on full blast in every building and when Zoe stepped into a cafe to meet her friends, she felt like she had just stepped into the Arctic.

Catching sight of her friends, Zoe made her way over to them, greeting them with a smile. "Are you two alright?" she asked them in amusement as she sat down on the chair, nearly laughing at the sight of them fanning themselves with the menus.

"Do we look alright?" Gigi exclaimed and Heather answered, "This weather is just too much...even with the air conditioning."

Zoe snorted, "You call this a heat wave? A heat wave in Bluebell is ten times as hot as this."

Her friends raised their perfectly manicured eyebrows and Zoe shrugged, "What? We have some serious weather down in Bluebell. You were lucky when you visited Gigi, because you missed it. People used to do the craziest things and use the weather as an excuse. It was ridiculous but understandable at...some...point..." She trailed off when she saw her friends' faces and shrugged again.

"Honey," Heather said, "Why are you talking about Alabama like you still live there?"

Zoe paused before answering and then replied, "Just habit I guess."

But as the waiter came to take their order, all Zoe could think about was how she actually missed the crazy things that happened in Bluebell during heat waves. Especially since Wade would walk around with no shirt.

**-Bluebell-**

The Rammer Jammer was packed that night and Wade barely had a minute to pause. He served drink after drink, exchanging pleasantries with the locals until finally Lavon called to him, "Hey Wade! Come here for a second!"

Wade sighed happily and walked over to Lavon's table. Sitting down beside his friend, Wade realised that the people at the surrounding tables were turned towards Lavon's.

"Wade," George asked, catching his friend's attention, "Do you remember about six months after Zoe arrived and she had to climb on top of the post office to check on that teenager who had sprained his leg?"

Wade smiled and replied, "Ya, the kid was jumping from building to building like a frog until he fell and hurt his leg."

A smile came to Lemon's face who was beside George, and she said, "She had to climb up there in those heels of hers. I have to admit that the girl did have good taste in shoes, even if they were impractical."

Lavon snorted and added, "Then Wade stood on the street and yelled up to her that if she hurt her leg, he wasn't going up there to carry her down!"

The people around them laughed and Lemon said, "But then that policeman offered to carry her and Wade scrambled up those steps quicker than I've ever seen him move before!"

Wade could only smile at the memory and he realised that the reason that the Rammer Jammer was so packed was because everyone here was talking about Zoe.

Lavon shook his head and leaned his arms on the table, "I'm telling you, this town may do some crazy things when there's a heat wave but Zoe Hart did crazy things in normal weather!"

"Like leave?" Tom asked and people grew quiet.

Wade glanced over at the empty bar stool where she always sat and vaguely heard George change the subject to when Lemon got her hand stuck in her father's liqueur cabinet when they were teenagers.


	3. Chapter 3

**What leads to Home.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**3.**

There was a big difference between being a cardiac surgeon in New York and being a family doctor in Bluebell.

Since Zoe had started her job, she had barely stopped working. When she wasn't working, she was sleeping and eating while hobbies were out of the question. She was in the job three weeks when she also realised that patients were different too. She knew their medical history and how they were recovering but the minute they stepped out of the hospital, they were strangers again.

Back in Bluebell, she would see patients in the town and at the Rammer Jammer. Some of them would invite her for dinner and ask her how her practise was going. All in all Zoe Hart was missing the friendly ways of Bluebell and the people there.

It took her a while but she realised that the people of Bluebell didn't butt into each other's business; they helped each other and cared for everyone. Also Harley had been right when he had written so much in their files; getting to know a patient was important to help heal them.

And she missed her office.

In her hospital, her office was that clean, metal kind that was modern and state of the art. Her office in Bluebell was all wood and comfy chairs. She missed those chairs.

**-Bluebell-**

Someone really needed to fix that fence.

Wade had managed to rip the palm of his hand on it when he was taking out the trash again and he had no choice but to go to Brick to get it stitched up. He had been avoiding the doctor's office ever since Zoe left three weeks ago but he had no choice.

Walking into the waiting room, he was greeted by the sight of a large group of people, all waiting to see Brick. Addie called to him from her packed desk, over the crowd, "Hey Wade, unless it's an emergency you better come back later."

Wade just held up his cut hand with the bloody tissue on it and Addie waved him into Brick's office. Soon Brick was stitching up his hand and grumbling at the same time while Wade sat on the bench.

"You ok there, Brick?" Wade asked as Brick placed the finally bandage on his hand.

Brick sighed and looked at him for a moment. Then he said, "If you repeat this to anyone, I will deny it but...Zoe Hart was a real help around here. Having a full practise is a bit different then what I'd thought it would be and the patients keep saying that Dr. Hart would do this and Dr. Hart would do that."

Wade stood up and Brick added, "And it's really cutting into my fishing and football time."

Wade grinned and replied, "The Doc certainly made an impression here didn't she?"

Brick chuckled, "Well, that's one way to put it."

"Thanks Brick," he said, walking towards the door. He stopped at the door and then turned back and said, "Listen Brick, they way people keep asking for Zoe, that's what it was like for her when she first got here. People kept asking for you. Don't take it too seriously."

Brick leaned against the table and replied, "They miss her, which is understandable. Even Lemon misses her slightly; although I think she misses a sparring partner than anything else."

Wade nodded and Brick replied, "Just...do yourself a favour Wade. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you should have gone after her."

Wade was frozen in the door, stunned to get advice about Zoe from Brick of all people, and Brick just cleaned up the bandages and got ready for his next patient.

Wade made his way out of the office and out onto the street. There was a cool breeze and the sun was just about to set causing the town square to light up in different colours.

Brick knew about his feelings for Zoe? Actually the whole town seemed to know about his feelings for the Doc. He remembered the amount of looks he got when she left.

As he walked towards his car, Wade realised that the pain in his hand was nothing compared it the pain of her leaving.

**The reason it's sad is because she needs to realise where she belongs. It'll get better.**


	4. Chapter 4

**What leads to Home.**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**4.**

There were an uncountable number of bars and clubs in New York, so many she would never visit all of them. Gigi, Heather and herself would hit the dance floor like crazy and stay out till all hours back before Bluebell.

They had taken her out to various clubs since she got back but Zoe found herself bored. They were all the same, music pounding in her ears and people shoving each other.

Her friends had dragged her to another one, some newly opened, modern club, and she found nothing new about it at it. While they went off to dance, Zoe made her way to the bar. Her friends found her a while later, arguing with the barman, saying that she just wanted a beer, a normal beer.

Gigi snorted and replied, "Oh please! You were in that town for too long."

As Gigi ordered some fancy cocktails, Zoe straightened her dress and shook her head. She wasn't in Bluebell, this wasn't the Rammer Jammer and this was what she had been working for all year; to be back in New York.

She managed to forget her thoughts for a few hours. Zoe danced and partied with her friends, laughing any nagging thoughts away. But later that night when she returned to apartment and sat down on her couch, she realised that she had become accustomed to that quiet drink at the Rammer Jammer, just sitting on a bar stool, gossiping with Shelly and chatting to Wade, as the music played quietly in the background.

And she missed normal beers. Wade would always have wine in the bar for her too. She knew she could find a normal beer or glass of wine anywhere in New York but it would be Rammer Jammer beer or wine.

She missed being able to relax after a day at work with her friends, being able to hear them and her own thoughts. She didn't need to be surrounded by people with flashing lights and blaring music.

Even Wade didn't play his music that loud.

**-Bluebell-**

The Rammer Jammer was now under management.

The owner was retiring and since Wade had worked there since he was eighteen, it was an easy choice to decide who would get the bar. Wade had been practically running the place before but now he was actually in charge of it. The good news was he was getting a lot more money.

One evening, a month after Zoe left, Lavon entered the bar to see the windows being replaced and the new bar stools being put in. He made his way to the bar to where Wade was standing with papers in front of him.

"Hey Wade, I see you're redecorating," he said leaning against the bar.

Wade nodded and looked around the room. "Just a few upgrades but don't worry, the place is staying the same."

Lavon nodded and replied, "Lavon Hayes is very proud of his friend. I'm glad to see you make a success of the place."

Wade grinned, "Well I can hope to make a success of it. Plus these stools really need to be replaced. Zoe always complained about-." Wade caught himself and stopped talking, his face falling as he turned back to his papers.

He was silent for a moment but then he looked at Lavon and said, "Do you think I should have gone after her?"

"Yes, I do, you idiot!" Lavon snapped, standing up straight suddenly.

"I swear all the way to the airport, both me and Zoe-though she would deny it-thought that you would drive up in your car, ready to declare your love for her! Even in the airport, she still thought you would come for her. And you didn't!"

Lavon went silent realising that he had just blurted out what he had been hiding for the past month.

Wade was standing there, looking at him. "She-she really wanted me to go after her?" he asked.

Lavon nodded. "The thing about Zoe is that she wanted to stay, she really wanted to stay but...she needed to someone to ask her."

Wade snorted, "Doc never needed anyone to tell her what to do."

"But she did someone to ask her to stay in Bluebell!" Lavon exclaimed, "She needed someone to tell her that she belonged here; that this was her home. And she needed that person to be you."

Wade sighed and Lavon simple patted his back and left him to his thoughts.

Zoe Hart had busted into Bluebell and pissed people off like it was a competition and she was the reigning champion. Along the way she found out things about her family and herself, all the while getting into the peoples' good books.

By the end of the year, it didn't occur to anyone to ask her to stay... because no one thought she would go.

Even Wade didn't really think she would leave until Lavon arrived back from the airport saying she was gone. For the past month whenever a phone rang or a door opened, a thought in his head always thought it would be Zoe. But it never was.

Wade walked suddenly around the bar, grabbing the phone and dialling her number.


	5. Chapter 5

**What leads to Home.**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**5. **

Zoe stared up at the night sky from her apartment window.

She couldn't see any stars, not one, even though she had seen a couple of helicopters. You could always see the stars in Bluebell. The lights from the city were too bright to see anything but helicopters.

Zoe sighed and muttered, "Well, you'll just have to do."

Closing her eyes, she said, "I wish...for a sign. Any sign at all that will tell me what I need to do. Where I belong." She vaguely heard her phone ringing in the background but other than that, nothing. She opened her eyes and sighed. Just then her phone beeped and she knew she had a message.

"Hey Zoe?"

She stopped, knowing that voice.

"It's Wade. I-I just need you to know something...that, um, that...I'm fine!"

Zoe frowned at his voice which had suddenly taken an angry tone.

"Ya, I'm great and the town is great! We're all...all...all good...yup. All...all that." She heard him sigh and listened again. "But let's just say-on the off chance- in a weird world, that the town missed you. That I missed you. You know, if-if we did miss you, then Lavon would be sulking around and Lemon would be picking fights with the door-to-door salespeople just to bicker with someone. Don't even get me started on Rose and Tom because that's scary territory."

A smile had made its way to Zoe's face as he spoke. They missed her. They actually missed her.

Wade sighed again and continued, "Of course if I missed you-if I actually missed the fights, the power shortages and the shorts? Well then I would be kicking myself for letting you go. For letting you leave and even for letting you think for one second that you didn't belong in Bluebell."

In the time Wade took to pause Zoe was bouncing up and down, squealing slightly.

"I know it's late but I should have asked you to stay in Bluebell and-and to have stayed with me. Wither you like it or not, people love you here in Bluebell and even though I know that you're probably living the high life there in New York, you should know that there will always be a place for you here. All you have to is come back."

There was a pause and then he hung up the phone, leaving Zoe's apartment in silence. She stood there, still for a moment before picking up the phone.

**-Bluebell-**

Lavon was smiling.

In all the years that Wade had known the Mayor, that particular smile wasn't a good thing. Even worse, was the fact that Brick and George were sitting beside him at the bar and they were also smiling.

Wade was seriously starting to worry as he walked over to them. "Hey, boys?" he said cautiously, "What can I get you?"

"Three beers," George said, "We are just celebrating the good news."

Wade got the three drinks and placed them on the bar as he asked, "And what are you celebrating?"

"The new doctor in town."

Wade froze, leaning on the bar, and stared at the three men. They just smiled back and Brick said, "I realised that the full practise was too much so I got a new doctor to help. George drew up the papers last week and Lavon was kind enough to give her Zoe's old house. She starts next week."

Wade glared at the three men, his hands gripping the side of the bar. He was obvious to the fact that the rest of the bar was silent now, stunned at the news of the new doctor and weary of Wade's reaction.

"So," Wade said in a tight voice, "It's as easy as that, huh? You can just replace Zoe like she was never here."

Brick sighed and replied, "She's been gone for nearly two months, Wade."

"So?" he exclaimed, "That doesn't mean that we act like she was never here in the first place! We can't pretend that she didn't change things in this town, that she-."

Wade stopped and shook his head. He turned around and walked out from around the bar. "Shelly, close up!" he ordered as he passed his stunned friend and kept walking until he reached his car.

Later that night, he still hadn't wrapped his head around the fact that someone was taking Zoe's place in Bluebell.

He looked out the window of his house and saw the lights on in Zoe's old house but turned away and sat down on the couch. He couldn't believe that someone was going to replace Zoe in Bluebell; it just didn't seem right. He sat back with his eyes closed, his head resting on the back of the chair.

A minute later, all the lights went off in house. He sat there seething in the dark, gripping the arm rests of his chair. This woman could take Zoe's job, she could take her house but she was not allowed to blow the fuses like Zoe!

Wade stood up and hurried over to the other house, which was also in darkness. He jumped up onto the porch and banged on the door with his fist.

"Whoever you are, you better get your ass out here!"

Finally the door flew open and there, standing in bare feet, shorts and a shirt, was Zoe Hart.

Wade was in shock, not really believing that she was standing in front of him in his favourite shorts and what he was sure was one of his shirts.

She looked at him with those big brown eyes and said, "I got your message." Wade didn't respond, still not actually having the ability to speak.

"And I realised something. New York may still be great but I love this town. I can visit New York anytime I want – and you will be taking me on weekends away to that city – but...Bluebell is my home."

Wade was standing there throughout the whole speech and the first words that came out of his mouth were "Does this mean I can buy you that drink now?"

This time Zoe froze before answering. "Well, will you fix the fuse box?"

Wade smiled widely and another smile soon appeared on Zoe's face, causing her to bit her lip and look so adorable, Wade just had to kiss her. And he did just that, taking her face in his hands. When he pulled away, Wade looked into those big brown eyes and for the first time in nearly two months, everything was right.

"Seriously, though...go fix the fuse box."

"You were the one who broke it! You go poke it with a stick!"

**-A week later-**

Wade walked into a crowed doctor's office with a box filled with papers and files. He looked at Addie over the heads and gestured at the box and at Zoe's closed office door.

Addie nodded, smiling, and the patients caught sight of him. "Are you helping the new doctor, Wade?" Mrs James asked him, in a worried voice.

Wade nodded and replied, "Oh ya, I thought I should give this new Doc a hand since she's new in town."

The patients looked at each other with worried faces. This new doctor had Zoe's nickname? Well that just wouldn't do.

"Well, I'm taking the boys to Dr. Breeland," said Mrs Mackensie, "I just don't trust this new doctor." As she said this, the other patients nodded and Wade wanted to hug all of them for their loyalty to Zoe.

"Why do I get a sense of déjà vu?"

Everyone turned to Zoe Hart leaning against her now open door, a white doctor's coat on and a smile on her face.

"Dr. Hart!"

"You're back!"

Zoe smiled at her patients and replied, "Yup, I just couldn't stay away. Now...who's first?"

As her first patient, stepped into the exam room, Zoe caught Wade's eye. He winked at her and brought her box into the office.

Out the window he saw one of the old ladies-who had been sitting in the office only a second ago for a headache- hurrying across the street. Wade smiled.

In ten minutes, the whole of Bluebell would know that Zoe Hart was back in town and back where she belonged.


End file.
